Power-transmission device.



G. C. BROWN.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION man JUNE 28. |915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Ratented. Jan. 16

WIT/VES S f77.

Arron/VANS w; Immers nsrsws co.. rnovuuma.. wAsumuwN. p. c.

G. C. BROWN.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

atented Jan.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2B, i915. I. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. C. BROWN.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

yAPPLICATION mso lun; 2s. 19:5.

Patented Jim. 16, 1917.,

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

mr Nmams persas co,. mmmurna., wAsnmcmN, n c,

venniviv dfnnownfor 'Nnsirvrntn 'Tennessee POVER-TEANSMISSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 16, 191?.

Application fusa time se, i915. snai No. sacca To all w/wm t may concer/Un:

Beit known that I, GLENN C. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Nashville, in the county of Davidson andl "i rptate of Tennessee, have invented a new or mechanical movements and has particular reference to power transmitting devices.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a means whereby power may be transmitted from a prime mover to a driven shaft with devices for rotating the driven shaft in either direction at any desired speed and while in any desired angular position with respect to the prime mover.

Another object of the invention is to combine with a. motor shaft adapted to rotate in a certain direction at a constant speed, a driven shaft, intermittent grip devices associated with the driven shaft, and means including a cam associated with the motor shaft for oscillating the intermittent grip devices through varying amplitudes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a vmechanism of the character set forth a driven shaft, right and left ratchet wheels connected to the shaft, reversible pawl mechanism adapted to actuate either of the ratchet wheels, means to vary the amplitude or throw of the pawl mechanism, and locking devices for the pawl shifting means whereby the pawl or intermittent grip devices must be adjusted to neutral position preliminary to the change from one direction to the other. j

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted tothe exact details of construction disclosed herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, andin which- Figure l is a plan view of the main parts of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, parts being in Section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse Vsection substantiallv on the irregular line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ratchet mechanismindicating the adaptability thereof for pivotal adjustnient with respect to the driving mechanism;

lug. o is a detail of a part of the ratchet mechanism described below; F ig. 6 is a side :c

elevation of a modified form of cam actuating devices; and Fig. 7 is an edge view'of the same.

`lieferring more particularly to the drawings, i show a driving shaft 10 which may e be understood as being mounted in xed bearings 11 and 12 withl respect to any machine adapted to be driven in any suitable manner, the power shaft 10, however, be-

ing understood to be adapted for rotation in a definite direction at substantially uniform speed. At 13 l show a fragment of a frame or bracket for supporting the operating parts.

14 indicates a plate or disk keyed or other` wise rigidly secured eoncentrically upon the shaft 10 and hence rotatable therewith. This in some instances may be employed as a liy wheel.

Adjacent the plate 14 is an eccentric 15 mounted upon a pivot 16 consisting of a pin or bolt carried by the plate 14 and parallel to the aXis of the shaft 10. The eccentric 15 is provided with an opening 17 of any suitable size or form but shown in the nature of an arc-shaped slot concentric with the pivot 16 and through which the shaft 10 entends and whereby the eccentric 15 may be adjusted with the shaft at its center or with lthe shaft at any desired distance eccentrically of the center toward the other endfof the slot. At 18 is shown a 4stud extending from one side ofthe eccentric preferably diametrically opposite from the pivot 16.

19 indicates a collar loosely and slidably mounted upon the shaft 10 and having a link 20 connected at one end at 21 to the collar and at its other end at 22 to a knuckle pivoted to one arm 23 of a bell crank whose axis 24: is journaled in the plate 14 parallel to the main shaft and carrying at its other end an arm 25 having a fork 2G at its free end coperatingwith the stud 18. When the collar 19 is forced along the shaft toward the plate 14, the link 20 causes the knuckle 22 to be thrown outwardly radially from the center of the shaft 10 causing the bell crank to carry the stud 18 and eccentric bodilylaterally of the shaft and around the axis of the pivot 16, as shown by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, thereby rock shaft a lever 29 is connected.

Yio

adjusting the eccentric disk member l into. a true eccentric position with respect to the4` shaft andV plate 14. Ad a suitable for controlling the position of the collar 19 l provide a rock shaft 27 having a pair of arms 28 constituting a fork cooperating with the groove 19 of the collar and to which This lever indicates a suitable means for rotating the rock shaft in its bearings and holding the fork'iQS any desired adjustment lo'ngitudiiially` of the shaft. When the col` lar 19 is inthe position'v shown in Fig. 1, or atthe farthestp'oint from the plate 1.4, the eccentric will be disposed, as shown in fullY lines in Fig. 2, concentric with the shaft, but when the lever 29' is thrown toward the plate le, bringing thevcollar 19 close to the plate, the eccentric willv be thrown t`o` the position shown in ,dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, andY in this position the' linkQO willstand substantially parallel to the plateV 144 tendto lockfthe eccentric from movement back toward the concentric position and in this position" the eccentric lwill have its greatest eccentricity and will give a naXimum throw. v j

At 30 I indi(fateY a driven shaft t'avliich is connected a double oi right and left ratchet when; ai. ,one end f al@ driven shaft 30 is journaled or swiveled in a knuckle 32 pivoted on a vertical axisin vsleeve or bushing 33 Xnun'ted'in` the frk 13 f the france and hence adapted to,swingl laterally around theaX'isl of the sleeve without yinterference withV the free rotation of the shaft. t

34 and 35 indicate a pair of armsoverlapping. each other andjournaled at their adjacent ends aroundthe axis of the shaft 30 adjacent the knuckle 32 and extending' nor` inally inY horizontal directions from lthe shaft, the outer ends of the arms being bent upon themselves at 36 forming ALJ-shaped sockets in which a pair of pawls 37k and 38 are pivted. Each of these pawlsl has two engaging points adapted to engage" with the right and left teeth of the doubleA ratchet wheel respectively in alternation. The pivot pins for the pawls are indicated at 39. lt will be noted that the point at one end of each pawl will engage with one set of teeth ftlieratchet WheeL-and lwhen the pawlis .shifted on itsA pivot the other `end or' point of the pawljisv adapted to engageVV with the oppesite teeth. .j J

40 indicates` rod adapted to reciprocate vertically inqandthrough the sleeve 32 having. a head 41 swiveledat its upper end and a crosshead 42 secured toits 7lewer end. A pair of links i3 are pivoted tothe ends of the c'ross'jheadV and their upper ends are cinected to the pivotsy 39 above described.

e@ e.. i show a bien. eek' merced' non iixed pivot 45 and having one arm connected by links 46 to the head 4.1. The other arin of the bell-,crank is pivotcd at fr? to an eccentric rod i9 having an eccentric strap 50 surrounding the eccentric 15. lt will be seen, therefore, that when the cccentric is adjusted to an eccentric position with respect to the driving shaft, each rotation' of the shaft and eccentric will cause the bell crank Ll1 to oscillate, and through the links 4:6 will cause thc rod LO to reciprocate in the sleeve and fork suppoitingit. It follows, therefore, that the links L13 will cause the pawls to move up and down, one of the pawls engaging the ratchet wheel to rotate it in a certain direction and the other pawl on the opposite stroke actuating' the other side of the ratchet Wheel causing it to continue in the saine direction. Each pawl, therefore, is so designed as to ride idlj7 over the ratchet teeth while the opposite pawl is in driving cngagement. A spring 51 cooperates with each pawl serving to hold it resiliently in engagement with the ratchet wheel.

In Fig. 5 is shown a pawl controller comprising an annular body 52 journaled upon the pivot 39 and havingr an arm extending 'outwardly therefrom in one direction and having an annular spring holding arm projecting' outwardly in another direction to which the Spring 5l is secured. The pawl cont-rollers are adaptcdto be held in operative position bvv ineens of a hand wheel or disk `iljournalcd conccnti'ically of thc driven shaft and having a pair of calin slots forr'ned therein. Each slot is provided with inner and outer arc-shaped portions concentric with the axis of the shaft, said port-ions beingr connected by a com shaped portion. The slots 55 are arranged similarly to each otherwith respect to the cam disk, but have siinilar points arranged diainetricallv opposite each other. A pair of rods 56 are pivot-allv connected at 57 to the arms 53 of the controllers and have their. inner ends bent at right angles and projected through the respective slots as shown best .in Fig. 3. The cam disk 5i is adapted to be suiiicientlv rotated by any suitable means to cause the rods 56 to lic in either the inner or the outer arcs of thc `grooves. Figi. 3 shows thc arms located in the smaller arcs but upon rotation of the cani disk in a counterclockwise directionl in. Fig. 3, itwill be noted that the rods 56 will be projected outwardlv by the cam portions of the grooves so as to lic inthe outer arcs and at such time the controllers will have been turned so as to causev the Springs 5l to hold the opposite points of the pawls in coperativevrelation with the ratchet wheel. It follows,- therefore, that without changing the reciprocatoiv action of the rod 4:0 and arms connected =thereto through the links 43 and cross head 42, the ratchet wheel and shaft 30 will be caused to4 rotate in the op. positsJ direction.- It Will be seen also that the extent of rotation of the ratchet Wheel due to each rotation of the driving shaft l through the eccentric connections'and bell 4crank le will depend directly ,upon the amount oi eccen'tricity of the eccentric l5.

As a suitable means to rotate the cam wheel 54e for the purpose of changing the direction of motion of the driven shaft, I connect thereto at 58 a cable, chain or other flexibleconnection 59, such connection running over any suitable number or location of direction pulleys 60 and is connected at a certain point, say, .such as 61, to a lockinglever 62 having` one end pivoted at 63.

indicates a locking' plate pivoted at G on the frame of the machine and having` a slot 66 formed therein, one portion oi which isin the form of an arc of a circle concentric with the pivot 65, and the open end-of' the slotjis formed radially with respect to the pivot, adaptingr the locking lever to enter the slotand when located in the arc-shaped yportion thereof the locking plate will be i'ree to rotate around its axis under the force of the lever 29 acting in a fork 67 extending' outwardly from the plate at one side. as shown in Fig. 1,. The parts are so designed that the lever 62 is adapted to swing through the arc of a circle determined substantially by the distance between the arc-shaped portion of the slot 66 and the concentric rim 68 of the same lochingeI plate. As shown furthermore in Fig. i, for the lever 62 to be swung on its pivot so as to lie along the rim 68 or in the arc shaped port-ion of the slot 66, the controlling lever 29 must be so located that the eccentric l5 will be in its idle or neutral position. W'hen in this position the arm 62 will be free to move on its axis in either direction, causingthe connection 59 to move the paWl controllers in a corresponding direction to determine the direction or' rotation of the driven shaft. In other Words, by the means set forth or their equivalent, it Will be impossible to change the direction of rotation of the driven members Without first bring! ine* the eccentric to its concentric or neutral position so as to stop the reciprocation oi the rod 40.

Among the many uses of this driving mechanism may be noted the propulsion of automobiles or similar vehicles, and the desic-n of the mechanism is such that any suit able number of eccentric driving" connections may be mounted upon and operated by the same driving shaft. The driven members 30, being' adapted to be adjusted to any desired angles with respect to the driving shaft, makes the apparatus Well adapted for connection to the individual Wheels of the vehicle. In Figs. 6 and 7 for example, is given an indication of means whereby a pairr of eccentrics lo arev mounted in, paie alle! Iplanes and through which the shaft 10 extends as already described. The arm when operated to adjust the eccentric to vary its throw causes at the same time a similar adjustment oi. the other eccentric ofthe pair but in the opposite direction by suitable means illustrated as comprisinga pinion 70 mounted upon a radius arm 71 carried by the main shaft 10 and meshing with oppositely arranged arc-shaped racks Te secured to the eccentrics l5.

At 73 I show a feather spring carried by the pivot pin 39 and so coperating' with they pavvi devices as to tend to hold the pawl out of contact with the ratchet Wheel. In some instances it is desirable to hold the paivls in mid or neutral position and at such time the feather springs Will serve to prevent any contact between any point oi" the pawl and ratchet wheel. The feather spring, however, oi. each paivl is not so strong; as to prevent the desired intermittent engagement with the ratchet Wheel in the manner and for the purposes previously described` I claim:

l. In power transmitting mechanism, the con'ibination oi a drivingl shaft, a. driven shaft adapted to be adjusted to any' desired angle with respect to the driving shaft, and intermittent grip devices between the driv ing and driven shafts whereby the driven shaft may be actuated trom the driving shaft in either direction irrespective of the angle of adjustment thereof.

2. In power transmitting devices, the combination or' driving means adapted to operate continuously in a certain direction, a driven shaft adapted to be adjusted in any desired angle With respect to the driving means, intermittent grip ratchet devices associated with the driven shaft, and actuating means between the driving means and the interi'nittent grip ratchet devices Where by the driven. shaft may be actuated in either direction irrespective of the angle of adjustment thereof.

3. In power transmitting mechanism, the combination of a driving shaft having consta-nt rotation in a certain direction, a driven shaft adapted to be disposed at any desired angular relation to the driving shaft, a double ratchet wheel connected to thev driven shaft, a pair of paivls coperating with the opposite sides of the ratchet wheel, a variable eccentric driven by the driving shaft, connections between the -eccentric and the pavvls serving to cause the pawls to rotate the ratchet Wheel in proportion to the eccentricity of the eccentric, means to vary the throw oi'i the eccentric, means to shift the paWls for reversing the direction of rotation of the driven shaft, and means connected to the pawl shifting riveli shaft is5retfatd.v K Li. iii pei-ver transmitting iiiechaiiisnr,v the eombinatinlof drlving 4nica-ne, an oecillat- 'ing bell-crank;connection between the' drifvlV ing'iiieansyifid the ,e911A crank to cause the osc'illatiii thereof, a' driven Shaft, means associated W'iththe'v driven shaft Serving t inount one end thereof to adapt thev shaft to be extended in' any suitable direction, and

pawl Vand ratchet mechanism between the driven shaft' and said bell crank ivhereby the shaft' Will be driven in either direction from the bell crank irrespective of the angle oi adjustment thereof.

, i npo'iver transmitting mechanism, the

combination of af frame having a fork at one end, a knuckle sv'viv'eled in said fork adapting it to st'ving' in an are of a circle therearound, a driven shaftat one lend con`-v n'ected to' saidvknuckle, a recipio'catory meniber movable longitudinally of theknuckle, pawl and ratchet means between the 'recip rocatory member and the driven shait adapted to cause the driven shaft lto be rotated constantly in a certain direction coincidentally ivithtlie reciprocation of said nnmber, driving means, and connections be- Coliies of this patent may be obtained fer Ay en lilprvie. Q. :hiember to recipiente -tio diiiefeiie distincee with e corresponding variation iii speed of the driven shaft; irrespective of the angle of adjiietnent' of the driven -'Shaft or rate of speed'f tlie driving meane.

6; -In power transmitting;mechanism, the 'combination' oi a driving shaft adapted to be operated continuously in a certain direc tion, a plate secured to' the driving shaft and rotated thereby', an eccentric pivoted at one side to the plate and having an opening through' which the shaft entends either concentrically or at any desired eccentric adjustment, means controlling the degree of eccentricity of the eccentric, a driven member, cnnections between tliefeecentr'ic and the jdriveii member Serving to actuate the latter at various speeds according to the degree of eccentricity of the eccentric, means to reverse the direction of movement of the driven member, and interlocking means between the direction changing means and the means" aforesaid for controlling the degree of eccentricitgv, substantially as' set forth. l 4GLENN C. BROWN.

lVitness:

Gno. L. BLN.

Wshington, D. C. 

